Smaller drugstores? That’s apparently the order of business as large chain drugstores like CVS and Walgreens start testing our smaller locations. Apparently, chains are opting to create stores that are one-fourth the size of regular locations to focus more on healthcare and pharmacy needs. In doing so, these chains hope to form a more lasting connection with their customers. I guess the aim is to be more like your smaller, local mom and pop pharmacy. According to reports Walgreens could close a “significant portion” of their underperforming stores in the next few years plus chains like Rite Aid have already filed for bankruptcy. The writing has always been on the wall for these chains in my opinion when taking into cheaper alternatives like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. It’s just too expensive to purchase personal care items like makeup, shampoo, and even deo at Walgreens or CVS.
Not only are chains like Walgreens and CVS dealing with fierce competition from places like Amazon but also, they are dealing with huge theft issues. Apparently Walgreens has even opened digital kiosks in some cities like Chicago where you place an online order and pick it up at the kiosk. Not to mention Walgreens has already opened 100 mini drugstores focused on health and they plan on opening more of these mini locations in the future. The stores normally have four aisles and a pharmacy at the back with very limited staff as the store doesn’t require a larger team of people to run it.
Long gone are the days will the days be when you can walk into a drugstore and grab a gift card, greeting card, carton of milk, your z-pack, and a pack of M&Ms. These new locations will focus more on health and less on beauty, personal care, and other items. In ten or twenty years, will the drugstore go the way of the CD? The DVD? The cassette tape? Will we tell our kids that their used to be huge drugstores where you could buy an array of makeup, greeting cards, eggs, milk, candy, and drugs all at one location? Will they be amazed by such an idea?
I don’t think I’ll miss drugstores! Will you?
